Graduate Social Work Student's Beliefs About Poverty and Attitudes Toward the Poor

Abstract

Data were obtained from 137 MSW students in three schools of social work about the students' beliefs about and attitudes toward the poor. These students reject both a belief in the individual cause of poverty and an aversive orientation toward the poor. However, they have sever misperceptions about the economic situation of the poor and do no perceive the poor as being anywhere near as financially deprived as they are in actuality. Implications for social work education are explored.